I was wondering if it is possible to make a water level tank indicator at home. I have a above ground water tank and want to know the water level in the tank. Can you please guide me on how to make a water level sensor at home? Or any cheap ($10-12) solution available in the market.

I just need a no-frills solutions which will let me approximate the water level in the tank.

This sounds like a job for a sight glass. Just get some plastic tubing and attach to the outlet and run it up the side of the tank. If the tank is pressurized attach the top end to the highest fitting. If not, you can just double it over to make a rain and dust cap.

If you have access to a connection at the bottom you might try a pressure transducer from a tire pressure gauge. I picked up one for <$5 at one of the surplus stores. I don't think the water would short it out.

Another idea is a capacitance probe, you can make one from a length of wire sealed at the end with silicone sealant or double it back so the end is out of the water. Then you need some means of measuring the capacitance. Float with a pulley and string to an indicator.

If you have access to a connection at the bottom you might try a pressure transducer from a tire pressure gauge. I picked up one for <$5 at one of the surplus stores. I don't think the water would short it out.

Another idea is a capacitance probe, you can make one from a length of wire sealed at the end with silicone sealant or double it back so the end is out of the water. Then you need some means of measuring the capacitance. Float with a pulley and string to an indicator.

The easiest way to make a very inexpensive water level sensor is to get a pulley, a toilet bowl float and a weight that will counterweight the toilet bowl float. Install the float, pulley and weight above the water level. Make sure you have enough cable to permit the float to be completely drawn down to extreme low level, and make sure that you have enough clearance for the counterweight to go all the way down when the float is at high level. Put a pointer with chart on the pulley. Now if you also want to alarm, that's different and more expensive.

1. Use Rack-and-pinion system for thisyou have to attach your pinion of potentiometer and rack in the tank with some appropriate mechanism to give it to & fro motion; while a small piece of wood is attached to the end of the rack.

contact me if you are facing problems for thatprojects.pcb [at] gmail.com

What the old Egyptians use to do in the years BC, was to take a float and attach a long pole to it vertically. The float and pole then floats on the surface of the tank and there are markings on the pole so that anyone walking past the tank can immediately sea what the level is approximately.

An a improvement on this system would be to make some sort of a wire loop around the pole and attach this loop to the side of the tank to try and keep the float and pole in one position all the time. You can then find a exact spot close to the tank to stand when you want to check the level and it can then be quite accurate.

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